By the way, I found you through Blogger’s Best Carnival.

Okay, so one more thing. I am very frank with my kids. They know pregnancy came before our marriage.

I use it as a lesson especially for my soon to be 13 year old. I tell them yes, 12 years later, Daddy and I love each other and our marriage is strong, but it was no fairytale and we got lucky. WE WERE STUPID. WE GOT PREGNANT WITH The PILL, CONDOMS,AND THE RHYTHM METHOD. Seriously. Uber fertile. Third kid was born after vasectomy.

So kids, if you plan to have sex, be prepared to be with that person FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. (Gulp) It’s no cake walk. It’s work when you start out rough.

If that doesn’t work, I point out their Dad and I have never been to Hawaii or Europe. I still haven’t made it to law school which was the plan when I was 24. That was 13 years ago.

I am glad it worked out for you and I and most of your commenters, but I doubt any of us would choose to start this way. I am hoping anyone young and impressionable reading this site doesn’t get any ideas of playing house. Go, enjoy your twenties, travel, go to college, then marry and have kids when you are ready. Like Britt said, in your thirties. Heh! I am sure it is much, much easier.

I am soooo with you Britt. Been there. Done that. I was a little older than you in college in Rotc, but it had the same long lasting questions messing with my head. Add his old girlfriend still loitering around…ah the insecurities. 12 years, 8 months, 18 days later. I still question myself, question him, and regret never getting the bended knee proposal and the baby showers instead of bridal showers. What I don’t regret for a second was the outcome: my three gorgeous kids. Good for you for letting go.

My husband did propose to me, but about 3 weeks after that, I found out I was almost 2 months pregnant already. When we got engaged, we had discussed having a civil ceremony within a few months for the insurance and then having our lavish wedding in a few years (he’s Catholic, and really wanted a religious ceremony).

What really happened? We had a civil ceremony a month later, in my backyard, I squeezed into a size 0 dress for the last time, and 6 months after that, our beautiful baby boy was born.

My son is now 15 months old, and we’ve been married for 21 months. Sometimes when we’re constantly fighting about who has baby duty or where we’ll get the money to pay all the bills, I wonder if we’d actually have gone through with it or broken the engagement off.

This post was so very inspiring. Thanks.

I never planned to get married or have kids, so my daughter changed my life in a big way. I gave up the parties & late nights & eventually even gave up my motorcycle. Please keep in mind that I did so willingly & without reservation. I hear all this talk about Fathers leaving, but I never saw that as an option. I didn’t choose to be a single Dad, this life chose me & I wouldn’t have it any other way.

But this one,well,I really stopped to think about it and it reminded be of a quote that I read once.

A happy marriage happens when you fall in love over and over again….with the same person.

However it happened it sounds like your lucky to have found each other. Happy Anniversary!